Transforming the Built Environment

The built environment sits at the heart of the transition to a sustainable, nature-positive and equitable economy. Buildings and construction represent around 10% of both global GDP and the world’s workforce across construction, renovation, demolition and engineering. As the world’s largest asset class by value, real estate has the power to drive economic growth, strengthen resilience and create lasting value for people and the planet. 

Today, the built environment is responsible for approximately 37% of global energy-related carbon emissions, accounting for around 30% of global energy demand, and representing one-third of the world’s waste and water consumption. These figures underscore both the urgency of action and the immense opportunity for businesses to lead. 

At WBCSD, we bring together companies from across the entire built environment value chain, from material suppliers and manufacturers to designers, contractors, developers, occupiers and investors, to tackle shared challenges through collective action. 

By connecting diverse stakeholders:  

• We identify the systemic barriers that no single organization can solve alone. Through cross-value chain collaboration, we define a common narrative, establish shared priorities and focus on collective efforts where they can deliver the greatest impact. 
• We turn ambition into action by creating targeted collaboration opportunities that unlock progress across the value chain. By addressing critical intervention points, we help businesses overcome barriers, scale innovative solutions, and accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, nature-positive, and equitable built environment. 
• We create an Ambition Loop bringing together business leaders and policymakers to reinforce one another's progress. As companies demonstrate leadership and deliver measurable action, they help build the confidence and momentum needed for policymakers to create enabling environments that accelerate change. 

Together, we are transforming the built environment.